Barack Obama’s 60th Birthday Party Faces Rightwing Backlash on Twitter
Former President Barack Obama‘s 60th birthday bash is back on and happening today, after previous backlash surrounding Covid-19 worries caused it to be reportedly canceled. The original near-500 guest list has been significantly scaled down, according to CNN.
New York Times White House correspondent Annie Karni told CNN that it looks like a few hundred guests have shown up so far to the party at Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard mansion.
“A lot of the celebrities kept their invites and a lot of the former administration officials who really credit themselves with helping the former president having built this legacy that allows him to fit in so comfortably with the A-list stars were cut,” she said. “There is some hard feelings and some disappointment that this is the way it’s turning out.”
A CNN graphic listed some of those who lost their invites including Larry David, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and David Axelrod. Those who were still “in” included Jay-Z, Beyonce, Tom Hanks, and Eddie Vedder.
Karni continued: “As we’ve seen celebrities arrive on the island, the tabloids have some pictures of the tent in the back of the Obamas’ $12 million mansion. It looks quite large. When they say they scaled it back to be family and close friends, it’s not a 12-person gathering. It looks like it could be a few hundred.”
In terms of Covid-19 precautions, the gathering is outdoors, a negative test is required, and being vaccinated is recommended — though not required. Previous coverage also noted there would be an on-site Covid coordinator.
Despite the precautions and scaling back, Obama’s party and party attendees still came under fire on Twitter, mainly from rightwing critics, who accused Obama of hypocrisy.
The party comes amid the growing threat of the Delta variant of Covid-19, and subsequent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections can spread the virus.
“The rules of the game with Delta have changed a little bit,” Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease expert at Stanford University, told BBC. “This is a reminder to people that the virus never really left, and it’s back in a meaningful way now.”
John Kerry also faced heavy criticism for arriving to the event by private plane. Kerry is currently the first United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
Watch above, via CNN
